Scientists Invented A Cap That Will Reduce Hair Loss During Chemo

Unfortunately, hair loss is one of the most despised side effects of chemotherapy! But, we have some good news for you. Now, breast cancer patients are getting a new way to try to save their locks. Here’s what you need to know – well, the Food and Drug Administration said that it would allow marketing of the DigniCap, a cooling system that chills patients’ scalps to reduce the hair loss that is so common during breast cancer treatment. Just take a look at the article below and find out more about this.

A doctor who led research with the hair-preserving strategy said that the hair loss has a traumatic effect on patients, and survivors, by revealing an illness that many would prefer to keep private. He also mentioned that this is such a marker for women — for work, for their families, for their children — that something’s wrong with them. You get just a few months of chemotherapy, and it takes more than a year for your hair to recover. Ladies and gentlemen, you should also know that scalp cooling is an idea that’s been around for decades. The near-freezing temperatures are supposed to make it harder for cancer-fighting drugs to reach and harm hair follicles by temporarily reducing blood flow and cell metabolism in the scalp.

Note: according to the experts, several versions of cold caps are sold around the world. In the U.S., breast cancer patients sometimes bring collections of gel-filled caps to chemo sessions in ice chests, or store them in hospital-provided freezers, so that when one cap thaws they can don another. The DigniCap, which is made by Sweden’s Dignitana AB, is the first version officially cleared by the FDA. The company will lease the device to cancer centers to use as their patients come in for chemotherapy.

How this cap actually works – well, 30 minutes before starting a chemo session, patients strap on a tight-fitting cap that’s connected to the cooling machine. It gradually chills the scalp, being careful to stay above freezing, until it’s numb as the chemo infusion begins. Patients stay hooked to the cooling system during the treatment, and for about an hour and a half later as blood levels of the cancer-fighting drugs drop. And, you should also know that the most common side effects of the DigniCap treatment were cold-induced headaches and neck and shoulder discomfort, chills and pain associated with wearing the cooling cap for an extended period, the FDA said. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share.